The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1887-02-26

famed by the breezes they often preat
and consume large portions of the rests
Other fires made by campers 70 7aok
ing meals are carelessly left burning ant
communicate themselves to the timberet
forests. These fires set at the height O.
the dry season are apt to consume millions
of feet of timber. They occur annually
and the destruction depends entirely upor
the condition of the forests for communi
eating them. In the East such waste by
fire as occurs here would be considered
criminal. The smoke is referred to IL
Oregon and Washington as every disagree
able" but such reference is made more as
topic of conversation than as matter il
which people are usually seriously interest
ed. The timber of the Northwest coast is
apparently inexhaustible, and the destruc-
ton of few million feet concerns no one
very deeply. Back of Tacoma, on the line
of the projected Cascade Division of the
Northern Pacific Railroad, much injury
has been done the forests by fires. There
can be seen acres Of trees measuring from
to 10 and II feet in diameter, stripped
of their bark and limbs. They rise from
100 to 200 feet in the air, and like spec
tres stand in the midst of waste of trunks
fallen thick about them. The sight of a
burned forest is not pleasant. One cannot
Ielp contrasting the dead and dying mass
of trunks with the living trees beyond, and
blaming mankind as whole for the des-
truction Of forests beauty and a wanton
waste of fine material. have known
people to miss much of the beautiful and
grand on the North Pacific coast by this
smoke, but fear of meeting it should not
cause any one to hesitate about trip. But
June and even earlier is a safe time to
make the trip, because then the sky is clear,
and the moisture is not so dried out of the
ground that serious fires can occur. Such
smoke does much to injure the country in
the eyes of those unfortunate enough to
meet with it. They carry East with them
an impression Of the country very unlike
what it really is.
The whole Northwest coast is filled
with scenery both grand and beautiful.
The Columbia River is famous for its mass
of water, its perpendicular cliffs, its pic
turesque waterfalls, and the many exquisite
bits of water view Early summer shows
its waters high, and plenty of volume in
Multnomah Falls. These falls are fortu-
nately near the river and so convenient to
the railroad that tourists can climb to
point giving good view while the train
waits. The main fall is 800 feet high.
The water pours over IL perpendicu-
lar cliff, blackened by the dampness and
covered with dark moss. 1t leaps out into
midair from the surface of the rock, and
falls in enc stream, touching nothing in its
descent. Separating into showers of
sparkling globules in its rapid rush to the
dark pool below, the volume drifts away a
mass of spray and fairy rainbows. Grand
indeed are these falls. To do them justice
while the train stops is impossible. To
look at nature son time seems almost an
offense. IT'S easier to mix oil with water
than to enjoy thoroughly the beautiful and
grand when twill l get left p show long
I can ] look ~ and kindred thoughts are
t nro "ffgSing on ones brain and dancing be-
'"G Port Iau d'Iiis LES and landscape.
roundings. At itasia very picturesque sur
are timbered hills. They ana an TO tne west
ners of the Coast Range, but beetn.e loie 81 un-
and the Pacific the country is gu .nel u
cases surrounded by bits of forest. !IeS -, 81
south of the city is the fertile valley = .le
Willamette, a river wide and nayigi t5ie!
1t flows by the city and empties int? the
Columbia twelve miles below. To the east
and north country open and ripe for
cultivation is soon lost in the forests of the
Cascade Range. Out of this range rise
four snow-capped peaks. Not snow-capped
as is an Eastern mountain, but white with
ice and for thousands of feet below their
SUBMITS. Perpendicular cliffs and project
ing rocks, whose surfaces afford no shelter
for the falling SHOWS, here and there stand
out bare and black against the surrounding
whiteness. Beginning with Mount Hood,
St. Helen's and Adams rises in turn to the
north, and Puget Sound furnishes Tacoma
With a river whose surface is in summer
smooth and mirror-like with wooded hills,
fertile valleys, green pastures, and distant
view of the Cascade Range and four of its
snow-capped peaks, Portland's situation is
indeed fine. For view of much beauty
and grandeur one can find few in any
country surprising that to be had on clear
day from Portland's western hills.
And as with Oregon so it is with Puget
Sound and its adjoining country. Clear
days and a pure atmosphere are more
plenty in late Spring and early Summer
than at any other time. A most beautiful
view of water, sky and mountain is to be
had from Victoria, Vancouver Island.
Across the breadth of Puget Sound and
well in the interior, the Olympian Range
snow-capped and rugged, rises into the
clouds. Clear as bell was the air the day
l sat on Victoria's Beacon Hill and looked
out over the water. A gentle breeze raised
countless waves for the playful sunlight,
and the dense dark timber of the shore and
nearer country made a rare foreground.
Clouds chased one another across the sum-
init of the range, and sunlight and shadow
were in hot pursuit The whole effect was
wonderful.
For visiting Alaska and the country
above Puget Sound July is the proper
mouth. Steamers for Sitka, Glacie Bay,
and other points leave Portland twice
month during the season. The journey
takes about three weeks and aside from its
novelty of scenery has the attraction of no
seasickness. For few hours only one is
at sea, and one can cut off this short trip
on the Pacific by going overland to Taco
ma and from their to Port Townsend,
How Knife Blades are Made.